In a dark working men’s club in a shady area of south Manchester, I hugged the sweaty, topless figure in front of me and raised a congratulatory glass to him. It was March 2010 and an old school friend, Paul ‘Kid Dynamite’ Mather has just won his first amateur boxing fight.
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The final round was a fatigue-filled affair in which both competitors looked more like they’d been fighting for thirty-six minutes than nine. But in front of a minibus-load of mates, Kid Dynamite’s hand was raised after a points’ win on a night aptly promoted as ‘No Guts, No Glory’.
Five years and a move to Dubai later, I saw an advert for a new TV show on OSN promising to pit two teams of wannabe boxers against each other in eight weeks of gruelling training leading up to a gala fight night. It was time to see if a long-standing penchant for pugilism could be transformed into a shot a glory.
This Wednesday sees the series premiere of White Collar DXB as bankers, air hostesses, teachers and indeed an online managing editor take part in trials for a spot on the show. From 50 trialists, 24 contestants will be selected – eight on the red team, eight on the blue team, and eight reserves.
There are myriad reasons for people to enter, whether it be losing weight or, judging by some of the trialists, channelling deep-seated anger-management issues. My own motivation stems from a desire to get in shape, but more importantly a competitive streak and a love of boxing. From watching Rocky as a kid and humming Eye of the Tiger for weeks afterwards to reading about Muhammad Ali’s great battles inside and out of the ring – the showmanship and storylines had me hooked.
At university in Nottingham, I trained – strictly cardio, no fighting – at an unfashionable boxing gym that was frequented by a skinny-looking fighter who would go on to reach the pinnacle of his sport. Carl Froch’s career was already on the up at that point and I watched as his body changed into the lead up to a fight, his shoulders hulking and his hand-speed mesmeric.
All these encounters – not forgetting Kid Dynamite’s debut – led me to the White Collar DXB trials. Though football will always be my first love, there is something inherently more satisfying in succeeding as an individual. I’ve finished the London Marathon and had a pair of holes-in-one but getting my hand raised in the ring is what I am now fixated on.
My sincerest apologies for shattering the illusion of television, but in reality the trials took place several weeks ago. It was an exhausting process across two days at KO Gym (Dubai Marina) and Round 10 (Al Quoz), where the two teams of contestants will be placed. There were sit-ups, press-ups and oh so many burpees. Strength, cardio and mental fortitude were under the microscope and while there is no question that I am lacking in both of the former, the latter was hopefully demonstrated.
A photo posted by Mark Lomas (@mark_lomas) on Aug 4, 2015 at 7:14am PDT
At the very end of two days of draining sessions, I stepped into the ring for the first time with one of the trainers and took a blow to the face. It hurt. Having thought so much about the glory and the success and the allure of Ali & Co, I’d managed to forget that agreeing to box means you are going to get punched. In the face. The adrenaline rushed but the jaw ached – was I really made for boxing?
All competitors were sworn to social media secrecy so there can be no divulging whether or not I progressed. But either way, the trials gave an eye-opening glimpse into the hardship and dedication required to be a boxer. And if you’re wondering, yes I did have to come up with a nickname. Look out for Mark ‘The Lumberjack’ Lomas.
The premiere of White Collar DXB will be shown on OSN 4 on Wednesday, September 16 at 20.00 GST.
